Using scoring rubrics to facilitate assessment and evaluation of graduate-level nursing students

Graduate-level nursing students need to be able to express concepts both verbally and in writing. For many students this will be an accumulative ongoing process that is guided by the instructors in each successive class. It is important that instructors use a tool that can consistently assess and evaluate student work, while providing feedback. Scoring rubrics do this by directing students toward areas that need improvement, while also giving credit for those items that are done correctly. Scoring rubrics can be used for both written and oral assignments and can be individualized to fit the context of the subject matter. Although rubrics have been largely associated with undergraduate students, they can improve the ability of graduate nursing students in the areas of written and verbal communication.